Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: touch, feel, sense of touch, tactile sense, tactility, contact, using one's hands, sensation, sense, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, notion, inkling, hunch, fancy, apprehension, presentiment, premonition, foreboding, love, care, affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, warmness, emotion, sentiment, emotional state, compassion, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, understanding, concern, solicitude, solicitousness, tender-heartedness, brotherly love, sensibilities, sensitivities, self-esteem, ego, pride, opinion, belief, view, impression, intuition, instinct, estimation, guess, theory, hypothesis, thought, way of thinking, point of view, atmosphere, ambience, aura, air, mood, climate, character, overtone, undertone, tenor, spirit, quality, flavour, colour, aptitude, knack, flair, bent, talent, gift, skill, art, trick, faculty, ability, propensity, inclination, sensitive, warm, warm-hearted, tender, tender-hearted, caring, soft-hearted, sympathetic, compassionate, empathetic, responsive, receptive, intuitive, thoughtful

Antonyms: bad feeling, acrimony, animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, bitterness, detestation, disgust, dislike, disrelish, enmity, friction, grievances, grudges, hatred, hostility, loathing, malevolence, malice

Showing 1376 to 1400 of 1668 results

1376. Social Relationships: Oppression, Toil, Friendliness

Ecclesiastes 4:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the former here. Qoheleth will continue to wrestle with the problem of theodicy (i.e., divine injustice); here he focuses on those condemned to suffer alone. 4:4–6 · The second subunit gives Qoheleth’s analysis of the workplace: all diligent and skillful labor is motivated solely by competitive envy. This may strike us as a rather cynical (and inaccurate) assessment, but it is typical of wisdom pedagogy to generalize and universalize in order to make a point. (There is no indication that Qoheleth’s ...

1377. Recognize that, in the Light of Death, One Must Redeem the Time

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... with “party clothes” and rich oils (Ps. 23:5; 104:15; Esther 8:15; also Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet 10)! Share this joy with your marriage partner! This is not a license for unbounded self-indulgence (cf. also Eccles. 11:9), for it is balanced by a call to strenuous, skillful, and smart work (9:10). What is the basis for such advice? (1) Such a course of action bears God’s stamp of approval, since it is his gift (9:7b; cf. 3:13; 5:19), our lot in life, and the reward for our labor (9:9b). (2) Our ...

1378. One Should Embrace Wisdom and Avoid Folly

Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Ecclesiastes. 9:11–10:1 · Qoheleth begins by noting some of wisdom’s limitations, introducing them with “I saw” (9:11, 13). First, success in various human activities, such as victory, wealth, or social favor, is not guaranteed either by physical skill, such as speed and strength, or by mental prowess (using three wisdom terms). This is because “time and chance,” a hendiadys designating unexpected events, can happen to anyone (9:11). Since even death (i.e., “his time”) can approach without ...

1379. Ariel

Isaiah 29:1-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... an independent Judah on the horizon, the people viewed the prophet’s words with skepticism. After all, it had seemed that the prophet spoke about a doom greater than could be realized. The future of Judah would be determined by the people and their political skills rather than by the word of God. The prophet preaches the word of the Lord in these optimistic times (29:1–4). He addresses Jerusalem as “Ariel” (Lion of God), though it is uncertain why; there is no scholarly consensus on the meaning of ...

1380. Elam

Jeremiah 49:34-39

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... unclear. Were there Elamite soldiers in the Babylonian forces? Was there a hope that rulers east of Babylon would break Babylon’s grip and so shorten the captivity of the exiles? If so, this oracle squelches those dreams. Bas-reliefs from Nineveh show the Elamites as bowmen. Their skill as archers was proverbial. The announcement to Elam is more general than to Hazor. Dispersion first, then annihilation is threatened against the Elamites. Along with Moab and Ammon, Elam will have its fortunes restored.

1381. The Sword of Judgment

Ezekiel 21:1-32

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 14), now it seems that the righteous cannot even save themselves. Possibly, Ezekiel is intentionally employing hyperbole in speaking of undiscriminating calamity, all for the sake of persuading the whole community to return to God. God once again calls on Ezekiel’s thespian skills. He is to groan before the people with broken heart and bitter grief (21:6). This acting in turn prompts the people to inquire, and Ezekiel is only too happy to enlighten. In verse 9 the repetition of the word “sword” is for ...

1382. Fifth Vision - Zerubbabel Empowered

Zechariah 4:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... rebuilding program. There is here both encouragement and admonition. Zerubbabel need not fear the size or difficulty of the task. God’s supply of power is sufficient for any and every situation. But Zerubbabel needs to rely on God rather than on personal skill, strength, or ingenuity. The word translated “might” is frequently used of armies, wealth, or influence. But God’s work is accomplished by the power of his Spirit. This is symbolized by the oil of the olive trees that supplies the fuel for the ...

1383. The Prologue

John 1:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

One reason why the Gospel of John was symbolized in the ancient church by the eagle is the lofty heights attained by its prologue. With skill and delicacy John handles issues of profound importance. It comes as no surprise, then, that this prologue has been foundational to the classic Christian formulation of the doctrine of Christ. Here divinity and humanity, preexistence and incarnation, revelation and sacrifice are each discussed with deceptive simplicity. This prologue may well ...

1384. The Vine and the Branches

John 15:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... s words and be obedient (15:7, 10). But on the other hand, it is also the nurture of God that causes us to flourish and glorify him (15:8). “Apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5). Jesus describes God as a vinedresser who prunes with skill, knowing the benefits that will accrue to the branch in later seasons. The results of this reciprocal abiding are given in 15:7–17. (1) Prayer with confidence. Jesus mentions twice the certainty that comes with prayer joined to spiritual union (15:7, 16; cf. 14:12 ...

1385. Correcting Cephas

Galatians 2:11-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... demands for continued segregation. For, as Paul shows, Peter theoretically agreed with the equal status of Gentiles, even to the point of eating with them (dining at the same table was a cultural sign of acceptance and fellowship). Verse 12 is skillfully constructed to indicate reactions of both acceptance and hesitancy by Peter to the practice of having full fellowship with the Gentile believers. The inconsistency in Peter’s actions is blamed solely on the arrival of a group alternately described as ...

1386. Widows, Elders, and Slaves

1 Timothy 5:1-6:2

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in 3:1–7. Paul mentions these wealthy individuals directly at 6:17–19. In addition, Paul expects some leaders will need to be paid for their service to the church (these, in the opinion of most interpreters, are in view in 6:8–10). Skill in administration is vital to the life of God’s household, and Paul’s placing this section next to the widows’ passage suggests that some of the difficulties in Ephesus were a result of a breakdown in administration. However, even more necessary is the ability ...

1387. Thanksgiving and Appeal

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... increasingly clear that Paul looks ahead to his own martyrdom and desires that Timothy come to him in Rome to comfort him. Thus, it is vital that Timothy rise to the urgent need: teach others who can tend the body in Ephesus.With considerable skill, Paul appeals to three familiar Hellenistic metaphors: soldier, athlete, and farmer (cf. 1 Cor. 9:7, 24—see also, for example, Epictetus, Discourses 3.22.51–69; 4.8.35–40). Soldiers are loyal, athletes know their game, and farmers work hard. Crisply, Paul ...

1388. False Teaching

2 Timothy 3:1-9

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and abusive lifestyle. Whatever appearance of godliness such teaching maintains, it has nothing of the Spirit of God about it—the only power it knows is Satan’s. Though he is to be gentle, Timothy is called to be a skillful surgeon of the soul, courageously cutting out a range of ailments that bespeak sickness of soul. Second Timothy parallels 1 Corinthians in three striking ways. In both churches, believers’ final resurrection was being denied. In both churches, Paul warned against excesses ...

1389. The Taming of the Tongue

James 3:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to godly purposes that James calls the person “perfect” who is able to subdue it (3:2). The power of the tongue may seem to be out of proportion to its size. But James reminds us with two pointed illustrations that small objects can have great power. The skillful rider uses a small piece of metal or leather to direct the motions of a powerful horse (3:3); the pilot controls the direction and speed of a huge sailing vessel with the touch of a hand on the rudder (3:4). So also the tongue, though a ...

1390. Called to Bigness

Isaiah 58:1-12, Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

James L. Killen

... the repairs but could not afford them. He discovered that there were many poor people in and around his home city who needed that kind of help but could not afford it. He set about organizing a crew of other retired men who either had carpentry skills or could learn them. They spent one day a week doing home repairs. They learned that many people with disabilities were homebound because they had no wheelchair ramps to allow them to get in and out of their houses. They became expert at designing and building ...

1391. I Wonder about the Miracles in the Bible

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... ? I mean, that sounds like a trumped up story, to me.” He went on to say that he did not believe any of the miracles of Jesus actually happened. Something similar occurred when I was on vacation a few years ago. We were at the beach and we watched these skilled surfers riding these big waves. Later, I struck up a conversation with one of them and he asked what I did. I told him I was a minister. He replied, “Oh, dude. I like Jesus. I know he must have been a killer surfer.” I asked, “Well, how would ...

1392. Elephants in the Room: Abuse – I Have a Secret

Matthew 11:28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... of a person by another. More often than not it is a pattern of living in which the abuser uses sex, violence and emotional abuse to gain control and dominance over another person. If the abuse is a pattern of living, often the abuser is very skilled at manipulating the abused to make them think that the abuse is their fault, which is one reason why much abuse goes unreported. Another reason it often goes unreported is because the abuser will threaten the abused if they tell anyone, paralyzing them with fear ...

1393. The Wind

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... the Methodists! We have to be careful with all of this Holy Spirit business, don’t we? We have become really good at being careful of the Spirit over the years. We have become really good at putting a governor on the Spirit of God. We have become rather skilled at stifling the Spirit when it doesn’t line up with our whims and fancies or it threatens to inconvenience us. The Spirit is strong but it doesn’t force itself on anyone or any church, so it will go only as far as we allow it. Thank goodness ...

1394. The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-23

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... Synoptic Gospels. The parable is a simple story taken from daily life that illustrates an ethical or religious truth. William Scott observes, “Disinclined as he was to discursive exposition, the Semite practised the art of persuasion by thus skillfully appealing to the imagination” (HDB rev., p. 725). For many years the church allegorized the parables, ignoring the obvious meaning and finding support for theological positions. It was Adolf Jülicher’s famous Die Gleichnisreden Jesu (1888–99) that ...

1395. Face-to-Face with the Kingdom

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Sermon

Tom Garrison

... a contrast there is between what the prodigal did in attempting to create and what God did with the same process. According to the faith story of Genesis, the almighty is adequate for such a task, for look at how God did it in the beginning with such adequacy and skill. The idea to create was God's own. It was not forced upon God or squeezed out of God by another. God decided one day that the joy of aliveness was too good a thing to keep to God's self, so God resolved to create in order to share ...

1396. Talented People

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... read. They were not necessarily trained as teachers, but they gave of their time to help others. They told me of the satisfaction they felt when a student of theirs became self-reliant. The endowments that other people possess are their skills. Two nurses at that church volunteered to establish a parish nurse program in the congregation. Using training they already had, they provided a health ministry to people associated with the congregation. For still others, the gift may be robustness of body, sharpness ...

1397. The Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:57-66

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... amazement of the neighbors (vv. 65–66). The question that they raise, “What then is this child going to be?” (v. 66) adds drama to the story and only makes the reader more eager with anticipation. This is another example of Luke’s skill as a narrator. Additional Notes 1:59 With regard to the circumcision of John, Ellis (p. 78) makes the following interesting comment: “According to an ancient Jewish custom the child was circumcised upon a chair called the ‘throne of Elijah’ with the hope that ...

1398. No One Is Righteous

Romans 3:9-20

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... subject for catechetical purposes or as proof texts for argumentation. Paul may be utilizing a pre-formed list here, but, given the unusually appropriate fit of the list to Paul’s purpose, it is not unlikely that he assembled it himself. The quotations are skillfully pieced together, five passages from Psalms, one from Ecclesiastes, and one from Isaiah. The first section of the mosaic, verses 10–12, charts offenses against God; the second, verses 13–14, sins of speech (cf. James 3:2; Ps. 34:13; Jer. 9 ...

1399. Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-31

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... in conundrums and sophisms. He is striving to put universal and eternal verities into finite language, and his words are straining under the load. That should not surprise us. If dogs or dolphins were capable of penetrating human knowledge, we presume their language skills would be taxed in describing the Grand Canyon or a Beethoven concerto. Barth was right when he compared the desperate picture of humanity in 1:18–3:20 with the sublime restoration of grace in 3:21ff. It is indeed nothing less than ...

1400. Orderly Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... , one should recognize that verses 33b–36 must be among the NT verses that have caused the most difficulty at the turn of the twenty-first century. Several basic exegetical issues inherent in the verses pose difficult problems for skilled interpreters, but these complex interpretive issues are exacerbated and at times superseded by equally complex religious and sociological factors. Thus, some preliminary observations are in order. Any discussion of women’s participation or speaking in the course of ...

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